Student Mentorship recipient wins naturalist award

The author of a project selected for a Hygienic Laboratory Student Mentorship Project recently won a 2011 Young Naturalist Award from the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).

Abby Walling, a recently graduated eighth grader from Northwest Junior High, Iowa City, was honored along with 12 other Young Naturalists at an AMNH event in New York City in May.

Walling's research project comparing the bacteria in dogs' mouths to humans' was selected for the 2010 State Hygienic Laboratory's Student Mentorship Program. The program matches junior high and high school students with a laboratory scientist mentor who assists the student with both analytical support and scientific expertise.

Gabe Gerken, public health microbiologist, helped Walling refine her project from testing several different types of pets to concentrating on dogs only.

"Gabe taught me so much," Walling said. "Without the Lab, I don't think I could have done my science project."

Walling's research is "an excellent example of science in action," according to Dr. Rob DeSalle, Curator of Invertebrate Zoology, Curator of the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics at AMNH.

Abby's essay, "Are Dogs' Tongues Really Cleaner than Humans'?" is expected to be on the Museum's website (www.amnh.org) by Sept. 1. This is the 14th year of the Young Naturalist competition that recognizes accomplishments in biology, earth science, ecology, and astronomy by students in the United States and Canada from 7th through 12th grade.

In addition to an awards ceremony and meeting with museum scientists, Walling and her mother Carolyn were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the American Museum of Natural History.

"They only display 2 percent of the bones available in their collection," said Carolyn Walling. "Abby saw the other 98 percent."

Walling's newest science project is under way closer to home, and uses grass clippings from her backyard.

"I want to see what kind of materials and conditions make grass ferment the best to create ethanol," she explained.